Saona Island vs Catalina Island

We are stopping at La Romana DR this October on the Carnival Conquest.

Wondering if anyone has been to either or both of these islands as I'm trying to choose which option to decide upon. Pros/Cons?

Any information would be appreciated.

We did Saona Island privately a few years ago. The boat ride over was extremely rough and I was quite bruised afterwards. Once you got to the beach it was great. Drinks and food were as good as expected. The ocean was beautiful. We enjoyed the day but I'd be Leary of the ride over if you have any back or mobility issues.

Well that answers my question .... I can't handle a rough boat ride LOL ... thanks for the info!

We've enjoyed both Saona and Catalina and would highly recommend them both.

For Saona we went with Seavis Tours out of Bayahibe, excellent outfit and what a great day! You can see the powerboats they use, we never had a problem and certainly didn't get bruised at all. Actually our friend had just had shoulder surgery and never had a problem. Check out their site for details, ride through the mangroves, enjoy an excellent buffet on Saona and snorkel or relax on the beach, then wade in the Natural Pool with starfish. They arrange your taxi and you are definitely in good hands with them.

For Catalina we took the Quetzal, a luxury cat with Pro Excursions also out of Bayahibe. But we were staying at the Dreams La Romana resort at the time. You'd have to see what they offer for cruisers. We hit 2 snorkel or beach areas, one is the Aquarium and the other is the Wall. Then a cruise up the River Chavon and a tour along the coast of Casa De Campo. But your itinerary would probably be different.

But both are excellent choices. I would suggest the Seavis Saona tour as that really is a fun day and you see so much of the natural beauty. You'll find very positive reviews on this forum and also on trip advisor.

Thanks for all the info ... much appreciated!

I will add that sea conditions can be rougher at times and su quest may have been out on a day with higher waves which can make for a bumpier ride of course. Our days on the water were very smooth and relaxing. So take the weather into consideration. You don't pay until you arrive at the office in Bayahibe so if you decided to just stay on the beach and grab lunch in town instead you could. But they do the Saona trip everyday and it is a good one.

I've done research on Seavis Tours for our upcoming trip. Keep in mind they make a big deal over the fact that the seats on their boats only fit people that are average size. Larger People will not fit or need to purchase TWO seats. We are going to go with a catamaran trip. Then we won't have an issue

I've done research on Seavis Tours for our upcoming trip. Keep in mind they make a big deal over the fact that the seats on their boats only fit people that are average size. Larger People will not fit or need to purchase TWO seats. We are going to go with a catamaran trip. Then we won't have an issue

Not a big deal at all really. These boats are smaller and you sit 2 x 2. If you're a larger size they can sit you with a smaller person, the staff is very accommodating. it would probably be a little uncomfortable for 2 very large people to sit together because these are small boats. We had larger folks on our boats and you can see a variety of sizes in the photos. But if you want lots of room a cat is the way to go.

Can't recommend Seavis and this tour enough though!